The following product combines two multi-million — if not multi-billion dollar — industries into one product based on a single premise which leads to dual promises. It is an advertising triple-whammy which, if it works, is amazing. If it doesn’t, most people wouldn’t be surprised since products like this tend to get people’s hopes up.

So, with the head of a natural skeptic, I dove into the website which, is a long, one-page design – pretty typical for products like this.

The premise is that it takes only ten minutes daily to break through a weight loss plateau and to reverse the signs of aging, all at the same time. Long, boring cardio (a phrase oft repeated) does not do this for you and is actually doing your body harm. Science and recent studies by fitness experts support the notion that long cardio workouts don’t do as much good as short, high-intensity exercises, but science is also in favor of recommendations by government health authorities for longer periods of exercise. We will get into that a bit further in a minute as I have a few things to say about what the author Erin Nielsen has written.

Who is Promoting Toned in Ten?

The person behind this program is Erin Nielsen, a registered Physical Therapist and self-styled anti-aging expert. She definitely looks much younger than her 42 years. She implies that she does not look as old as her birth certificate claims because of her policy that 50 minutes of exercise per week is actually enough to keep you fit and slim. Your skin will look better. You will be toned and lose weight. She makes some scientific references to back up her claim.

Toned in Ten Program

Nielsen doesn’t say it outright until later, but those ten minutes five days every week are going to be high-intensity minutes. You will not see results without sweating and getting out of breath. Unfortunately, she also doesn’t share much about those moves, but then what would Erin Nielsen have to sell you if she shared all her secrets? These are smart exercises which, presumably, place little strain on the joints because that’s a problem she associates with jogging and weight lifting. If you don’t jog and lift weights, you will protect your body: she has seen many injuries related to such movements numerous times in her profession.

So, it makes sense to believe that she probably knows what she’s talking about. Instead, from what I see in the language she uses in her presentation (“after burn effect,” for example) as well as the release of HGH (Human Growth Hormone) during the exercises, Nielsen probably incorporates some HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training). She certainly mentions Pilates as part of the routines which makes sense as she is a certified Pilates instructor.

She also incorporates body-weight exercises which are all the rage these days since you don’t need much more than a chair and exercise pad to do the routines. I saw a photo of a participant doing squats, and squats are a staple in body-weight programs.

Erin Nielsen does tend to repeat herself a bit in this website; and for someone like me who is into fitness and tends to look at a lot of diet and exercise products, much of what she says is stuff that I already know. But, to be fair to the person who is new to the idea that “less is sometimes better than more” when it comes to exercise, it could be helpful. She promotes anti-aging and a lower body weight as the ultimate goal and claims that more than 50 minutes of exercise weekly is not going to give you this.

She Speaks the Truth

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She is right that you won’t get far if you don’t like exercise and keep putting off the next session out of sheer dread or boredom. Her conclusion that some people eat more than they need to because of exercise is also logical because of the psychological element and our desire for rewards. Sure, I can imagine a scenario in which one does cardio for half an hour, feels tired, but determines that she deserves a Twinkie.

It sounds reasonable that some people will move even less in an average day when they take up cardio because they believe they worked hard enough and don’t need to go for a walk because they don’t want to. Perhaps some people experience slower fat burning by engaging in cardio, but there are certain conditions which apply.

Cardio machines at the gym definitely do not simulate real moves 100% like cycling or running. The treadmill does some moving for you and there are no environmental challenges to running or cycling indoors. You can change resistance to suggest climbing a hill, but without seeing the hill ahead your challenge isn’t nearly as psychological and your breathing might not be as heavy, leading to less fat burning and also reduced movement of oxygen to muscles and organs.

Machines over-state how many calories you have burned: that’s likely. How can they really determine such a thing? Do you play games on your smartphone or eat while cycling? That’s hindering results too as you move more slowly.

Frankly, because I personally despise going to the gym, anything that will help me work out faster and smarter is going to get my attention. And that is one of the reasons why I’m attracted to programs like this.

As for energy and moods, most people find that extended periods of exercise boost their moods. Exercise is a natural anti-depressant because it releases happy hormones into the bloodstream and affects how you feel. Most individuals experience better sleep patterns and positive emotional balance, not the reverse as claimed by Nielsen. They even feel energized as exercise improves their fitness and more oxygen gets to their muscles and other cells. It’s a win-win as long as individuals choose moves which don’t bore them, which are not placing undue strain on their bodies, and they eat right too.

Now, she did make some points made by a government agency for healthy living that seem to be taken out of context. Not everyone is expected to run or to lift weights. People are encouraged to perform some kind of weight-bearing movement regularly and choose exercises which cause them to get out of breath five days a week or more. The intensity of that exercise determines how long they should keep going, but it’s fine to make this a brisk walk or to go swimming. Swimming works the muscles and so does yard work, lifting light free weights, or doing push-ups. Running is an option for people who like it even though it is true that it can wreak havoc with your joints (I can personally attest to this).

Convenience of Toned in Ten

Nielsen’s program comes with certain advantages. One is that you can perform it at home. There is no need to attend a gym and there isn’t any equipment needed other than your body.

According to her promotional page, this workout will stimulate EPOC or Excessive Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption (commonly known as “after burn” which we mentioned earlier) to boost moods, metabolism, and muscle development. More oxygen to the bloodstream also promotes cellular regeneration which can contribute to anti-aging. Harder workouts are potentially making you look older and they are certainly putting strain on your joints so you feel older. You can be free of pain but fitter, slimmer, and healthier in just ten minutes daily. Did I tell you that already? I’m sorry, but I’m going through a bit of déjà vu since – as I said – I found some of the site to repeat itself. Anyway, the workouts are available to download for $19 and come with other material such as her anti-aging secrets.

Uncertainties

I just can’t say, for sure, if Nielsen’s claims are really true. Will you experience a better balance of HGH, a hormone which affects aging and fights fat? Can such a short period of exercise create the EPOC effect when this is associated with extremes? Even HIIT classes and videos require a commitment of about 20 minutes, and the shortest ones I’ve personally completed were 15 minutes, 3 days per week.

Because I’m pretty lazy and don’t relish the idea of working up a heavy sweat for an hour every day, I do have to say that the idea of sweating it up for only 10-15 minutes every day sounds better. But, unless I get blood work done to prove whether or not I’ve been producing more HGH, I honestly don’t know if that’s a realistic expectation. I wouldn’t want to give anyone a false sense of hope.

Because, ultimately, it could be a matter of genetics that she looks so young. We don’t know what her lifestyle is, but if she is a Pilates trainer, you can bet she gets more than 10 minutes of exercise daily. It’s not hurting her any.

As for the “pride” one feels at being slimmer, this can be a dangerous product to sell. Society really needs to find other reasons to feel good because constantly having this reinforced is what really starts the cycle of dieting then gaining back even more weight and feeling depressed. Good health is more important than a flat stomach.

And then there’s the fact that Erin Nielsen is a Certified Expert in the Primal Blueprint Diet which sounds something like the Paleo diet: no grains, low carbs, lots of protein, good fat, and plants. Ah ha — so there is another component one must consider here which is how we eat. That makes sense but she doesn’t say a wholelot about it. But she does mention it.

So, here is where I would tell the reader to use her or his common sense. There is very little chance that 10 minutes of any exercise is going to do much on its own without incorporating better eating habits. And, if she is encouraging a more “primal” type of diet, my guess is that after getting off the grains and empty carbs while adding in the exercise routines, one would probably see some type of result.

You might notice at the very bottom of the site, in the required “fine print” area, there is the disclaimer that she is required by the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) to identify what a “typical” result is. She speaks the absolute truth when she says, and I quote: “…most people never do anything with the products they buy, so most of the time, their typical results are zero.”

How true it is! So, you can spend the $19, and not ever open the guide or do a single 10 minute session. Your results will be zippo. Zilch. She also speaks the truth when she says, “The biggest factor is your ability to follow through. There is no such thing as a Magic Bullet. Your effort will determine your results.” Bingo.

So, you need to ask yourself if you are willing to commit to a measly 10 minutes per day and alter your eating habits to give this a try. Again, it’s only $19, but if you do nothing, then you have wasted the money. I seriously doubt that there will be any other program showing you what you can get done in less than 10 minutes of exercise. The low price of her Toned in Ten book could be very alluring, especially with so many women fighting their age tooth-and-nail. But, if you don’t move that tush one way or another, you will never see any results.

At the end of the day, go ahead and buy the book and her eating plan – but please at least use it.